Notice of power outage for FortisBC customers in Naramata

Apr 28, 2020

Kelowna, BC, April 29, 2020 ­– There will be a power outage for about 570 FortisBC customers in Naramata on May 12, from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. so that crews can safely replace several damaged transmission pole structures in the region. It will affect most customers located north of Upper Debeck Road, along Naramata Road North, including side roads.

“With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and many people working and studying from home, we recognize that any power outage is very disruptive right now so we’ve planned this outage very carefully,” said Shawn Conway, director, operations, FortisBC. “Completing this work on schedule is necessary to keep the system running safely and reliably; replacing these structures now will prevent a larger, unplanned outage at a later time.”

FortisBC has taken extra measures to reduce the time needed for the outage and the number of customers affected. Up to six crews will be working simultaneously so that all of the structures can be replaced at the same time and require only one outage. The repair work was also planned for a time of year when energy requirements for customers in the area are typically lowest.

In addition, FortisBC is working closely with the City of Penticton to reduce the number of customers affected by the outage. As a result of recent upgrades they’ve made to their system, the City will temporarily supply power to about 1,500 FortisBC customers that would have otherwise been affected by this outage.

“We greatly appreciate this support from the City,” said Conway. “We hope that the additional notice to customers will help people be prepared and have time to adjust their schedules, if possible.”

FortisBC is working to notify all customers that will be affected, including calling them directly. Customers can take some simple steps to best prepare for outages:

• Try to keep phones charged and conserve cell phone and laptop batteries.
• Plug electronics and other sensitive equipment such as TVs, cable boxes, video game consoles and computers into surge-protecting power bars.
• Switch off appliances, electronics and lights to prevent a power surge when service is restored. However, leaving one light on inside and one outside will help you know when the power is back on.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold. In general, a half-full freezer will keep food frozen for up to 24 hours and a full freezer will keep food frozen for up to 48 hours.
• Wait 10 to 15 minutes after the power has been fully restored before slowly turning everything back on. This will give the entire electrical system a chance to stabilize.
• Know how to use the manual releases on automated doors.

The majority of construction work will take place along Naramata Road North between Pearson and Smethurst Roads and there will be traffic controls in the area. The public are asked to avoid this area if possible for safety and so that crews can work as quickly as possible.

FortisBC appreciates the patience and understanding of its customers. The work is part of a $750,000 project underway from now until June to upgrade the transmission system that serves FortisBC customers in Naramata and Penticton.

For up-to-date information about this and other power outages, visit fortisbc.com/outages.

 

Media contact